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The shocking violence at a Monroe County municipal building Monday night highlights the vulnerability of public spaces.

But it's not the first time a man with a gun stormed a municipal building in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

It's been 27 years since a man angered over a drunken driving arrest stormed the Dallas Township building, shooting two police officers.

Magisterial District Judge James Tupper, who was a Dallas Borough police officer at the time, said he and former Dallas Township police Officer Wayman Miers were at the Dallas Township building, which housed the police department as well as other municipal services, when a gunman burst in.

"At that time, there were no locks on the door or anything like that," Tupper said, noting people would frequently come to the police department for a variety of reasons throughout the night.

About 3 a.m. on June 7, 1986, a car pulled in and a man got out.

"We didn't pay much attention to it until the gentleman walked in with a .357 pointed at us, cursing," Tupper said.

The gunman, Donald Kelly, had been arrested the previous March for drunken driving and told the officers the police had ruined his life.

"He lost his driver's license, lost his job, and basically blamed the police," Tupper said. "He was sitting in the bar that night â¦ and said he was going to go up and shoot some police officers."

He demanded the officers call the police chief and the officer who arrested him to the station. Tupper said he and Miers told him they wouldn't do it.

Kelly tried to get Miers alone in another room, presumably because he intended to shoot him, Tupper said. Tupper asked if he should come also, and Miers said yes, he said.

Tupper said he stood up with a half a cup of coffee in his hands and threw it in Kelly's face, then dove at him and the gun went off. Miers also dove at him and the gun went off again, he said.

In the end, Tupper was shot in the thigh and ankle and Miers was shot in the calf, he said.

"Officer Miers beat him over the head until he was unconscious with the butt of his gun," Tupper said.

Kelly was charged with attempted criminal homicide and got a plea agreement that landed him in prison for about seven or eight years, Tupper said. He noted how meeting places and courtrooms continue to be vulnerable.

"You get these angry people nowadays and you never know what the hell's going to happen," Tupper said.

jhalpin@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2058Magisterial district judge

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